Device for regulating humidity of containers



April 21, 1925. 1`,s34,343

D. M. BERNOTOW DEVICE FOR REGULATING'HUMIDITY oF CONTAINERS .Filed July 21, 1925 UINiTs STATES PATENT rt-rica.

noIvrIIvICK M. Bannorow, or CHICAGQILLINOIS, assIeNOa To BUNTE Brasiliens, or CHICAGO, ILLINOrs, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

DEV'LCE FOR REGULATING HUMIDITY OF CONTAINERS.

at Chicago, in the county oit Cook and ccitate of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful ln'iproven'ient 1n Devices .tor Regulating Humidity of Containers, ot which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices 'tor regulating the humidity of containers for candy, tobacco and other goods which are apt either to absorb moisture trom the atmosphere or to become too dry it exposed to the atmosphere. The device is especially adapted to be used in connection with jars having covers or Stoppers (usually olf' glass) which are internally chambered. lDevices of this type are not basically new, but the object of my invention is to provide a simple and etlicient retainer' which may be readily applied to or removed Yfrom the cover of the j ar, and which, when applied, will securely hold its position, present al neat appearance, and prevent its contents from gaining access to the contents of the jar. My device is especially adapted to be used in connection with jar covers which have Contracting lower mouths, and one ot' the specific objects o't' the inventioniis to provide a two 'part retainer, one o't which is an expansion member and the other operates to expand it. Contributory objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

l obtain my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is an assembly view showing my` retainer in position in the cover of a `1er.

l `igure i).V is a view showing the retainer detached from the jar Cover and showing the retainer with its two chiel' parts partially, but not entirely separated.

Fignre 3 is a perspective view showing the two parts of the retainer separated.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the form illustrated, the jar or general container 1 has an internally chambered cover 2, the lower flange 3 whereof converges slightly at its mouth. The outer convergence or taper enables the cover to lit snugly into the neck of the jar, while the interior convergence or' taper makes it pos sible to securely tasten my retainer in the cover. It will be understood that the jar Application filed July 21,

.element 6 as an absorbentpad.7

1923. Serial No. 652,936.

and cover are known articles ol' commerce. Referring now, more particularly,- to the parts which embody my invention: he purpose of my device is to mount, in a jar ot this character an element 6 which will either absorb moisture from the atmosphere or impart moisture to it according to the requirements ot the contents ot the `iar. For use in acandy jar the element 6 should be an absorbent, because candy, especially when the atmosphere is warm or humid, tends to absorb moisture and become sticky. For convenience, therefore, l will refer to the lt is illustrated as being ol disc form apertured at the center tor accommodating the clamping screw 8, hereinafter again referred to.

The two principal. members of the retainer are the expansion member and the e2;- pander 12. These inconjnnction torni a retainer or holder for the pad. rlliese members are preferably of metal and ot approximately the same diameter as the inner sur tace ot the lower `tlange 8 ot the stopper. These two parts practically form the upper and lower halves of a disc-like` box. The lower halt is apertured at the bottom so that moisture may pass to the absorbent pad.

The upper halt` 10 ot the retainer has vertical slots 14 in the sides so that the sic may expand and contract. The sides of the lower half 12 converge so as to wedgingly tit into the upper halt and expand the sides thereof. It is desirable to form an annular shoulder 16 near the lower edge ot the upper halt of the retainer for engaging the inner surface of the 'liange of the stopper or Cover' of the jar as illustrated in Fig. 1.

A nut 18 is rigidly secured in the top ot the upper' half 1() and receives the upper end of the clamping screw' 8.V Near the lower end the set screw has two shoulders 230 which receive between them the bottom of the lower halt 12 ot the retainer. The result of this construction is that when the screw is rotated the lower hall' 12 willv be raised or lowered relatively to the upper halt. By preference the lower end ot the screw is provided with a knurled head 252 by which the screw may be easily rotated.

Operation: Then it is desired to equip a candy jar with my device an absorbent pad 6 is placed in the lower halt or expander of my retainer, and the screw 8 then is screwed part way into the nut 18 whereupon the parts will have the relative position suggested in Figure 2. Next the retainer is raised into the flange 3 of the cover and the screw is then rotated further. This draws the lower half 12 of the retainer upward, forcing its converging sides into engagement with the lower rim of the upper half of the retainer causing the sides to expand and engage the inner surface of the flange 3 of the cover. By screwing the screw suf"- ciently tight the expansion member l0 will so tightly engage the cover as to securely hold the retainer in place as shown in Fig. l. The lower half or expander l2 acts as a wedge, and this taken in connection with the powerful drawing effect of the screw makes it possible to obtain a high degree of outward pressure against the flange of the cover. Consequently the retainer may be held very securely even though the tape-r of the inner surface of the cover rim is rather slight.

Uy device also has another advantage and that is that its range of expansion is sufficient to enable it to lit into jar co-vers of' considerably different size of flange. These jar covers are made in large quantities and there is frequently considerable variation in diameter between the various individual covers, but my retainer has a considerable range of adjustment and may be made to ret-ain itself in covers which differ considerably in size.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for regulating the humidity of containers comprising a retainer for holding the moisture regulating substance, said retainer consisting of an expansion member and an expander' adapted to wedgingly cngage the same for expanding the walls there of.

2. A device for regulating the humidity of containers comprising a two-part receptacle for the moisture regulating substance, one part having an annular, expansible wall and the second part having a annular tapered flange for expanding said wall when forced into it, and means for forcing said second part into the first part for causing' it to expand and engage the wall of the container.

3. A device for regulating the humidity of containers, said device having an annular receptacle formed of two principal parts, the upper parthaving a circular top and a depending flange and the lower part having a` circular, apertured, bottom and an upstanding flange; and means for drawing said parts toward each other, the flange of one of the parts being` slotted to render it expansiblc and the fiange of the other part 1neing` tapered to enable it to expand the slotted flange when drawn into itl and cause it to engage the wall of the container.

4. A device for regulating the humidity of containers, said device havingl a receptacle formed of two principal parts, the upper part having a circular top and a slotted depending fiange, and the lower part having a circular, apertured, bottoni and an upstanding converging fiange, and a screw for forcing the converging flange into the slotted` ange for causing it to expand and engage the wall of the container.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

DOMINICK M. BERNOTOVV. 

